This invention relates to an athletic leg brace apparatus. More specifically this invention relates to an apparatus for enhancing the transmittal of lateral forces to the edge of a skiers skis while minimizing the possibility of damaging a skiers leg due to excessive lateral bending forces.
The sport of skiing encompasses inherent dangers to the leg bones of participants. This is not only true for the neophyte skier but also exists with respect to the average and even highly skilled alpine skiers.
While a neophyte skier is most likely to inadvertently lose control and fall in an awkward manner more skilled skiers occasionally push themselves beyong their limit, lose control and fall. Moreover, applicant has determined that even professional skiers in downhill events, and the like, place such bending strain on their legs during turns that the upper and lower leg bones actually tend to flex or laterally bend. Such an abnormal bone posture is extremely vulnerable in the event an unforseen bump or rut is encountered.
In addition to safety considerations a viable skiing apparatus must also provide adequate mobility and comfort to the skier. The mobility factor is important in relation to safety as mobility is a parameter which enables a skier to maintain an upright posture and control the "edge" of the skis.
In a similar vein it is believed that a skiers performance might be enhanced if it were possible to more effectively transmit lateral body forces into the edges of a skiers skis. In this regard some force is believed to be lost in bending a skiers legs and bones during cornering, etc.
Although broken legs and damaged knees due to excessive bending stresses created during a fall or with high speed skiing are well known in the ski world applicant is not aware of any technology which is designed to alleviate these vexing problems.